You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Fussing & Fighting -- where's my sweet baby?

Ack! Help! So tired!

For the past two days my 12 week old has been incredibly difficult to feed. She seems hungry, takes the breast for 3-5 mins, eats well, and then fusses. She's always pulled back on the nipple a bit (to control flow) but now she's pulling off entirely, coming back for more, pulling off again, and squirming and hitting me while she does it. She tries to put herself back on as her head control is getting better and she prefers to self-latch. So, for that reason I can't tell if she's still hungry or if she's looking for comfort and not getting it. Today she started crying too -- really really crying tears. We haven't had tears at the breast like this since she was a way little newborn.

I know they get more efficient and easily distracted as they get older. But I'm not sure that's what is happening. She has a ton of milk on her face and my breasts still feel very full after her 3-5 mins of decent nursing. In fact, I'm leaking more now than ever and I didn't think that was supposed to happen. It could sound like OS but again, we only ever nurse from one breast and I haven't seen the 'firehose' spray that others describe.

We nurse reclined, side-lying, and cradle with pillow support. She fusses the same. I tried walking and nursing too and didn't fare much better.

Not sure what's going on. Maybe early teething? She's been drooling non-stop for 2 weeks and putting anything she can hold in her mouth, in addition to fists and fingers, shoulders and clothing, and her wrap. I hate feeling like I can't satisfy or settle my girl and I hate hate hate feeling like nursing is adding to her frustration.

Wets and poops are good -- in fact she fusses and then poops after every other feeding. That output hasn't slowed down at all. It's just the tears and the real fighting that are new.

Sorry this is so long! Just getting it out now that she's out for a walk with dad and I'm trying to settle myself.

Re: Fussing & Fighting -- where's my sweet baby?

I don't have much advice, but I wanted to let you know my ds does this too. He's 10 weeks. When he gets like that I try to burp him. Sometimes that works and sometimes it makes him mad, but I'll let him latch again afterwards. If he gets mad I'll do something to distract him, like set him in my lap facing away from me or let dh take him.

In my case, I think it's bc I have a fast let down and he gets frustrated when it slows down. But who knows!

Re: Fussing & Fighting -- where's my sweet baby?

This sounds like oversupply/overactive letdown to me. Fast feedings, breasts feeling full, baby pulling off during the feeding, lots of leaking, milk on baby's face (from milk streaming from the breast, or from her letting milk leak from her mouth?), baby slping up on the nipple- all that plus good diaper output is really suggestive of OS/OALD. It doesn't matter so much that you've only beennusing one breast per feeding- OS can fluctuate with time and you may be experiencing an upswing.